Holiday Decorating on Your Terms

October is quickly coming to its end; in a few days Halloween will be a mere memory. Thanksgiving is the next big festive day on the fall holiday calendar. As we begin to think of all we must do to prepare for Thanksgiving, we are seized with the realization that Christmas and New Year’s are quickly approaching on the horizon. Holiday panic rises to new levels as we walk the aisles of grocery stores and peruse the festive holiday windows and displays of department stores – they’re telling us it’s Christmas, and yet it seems that we just welcomed the golden hues of fall a few short weeks ago. It’s overwhelming and, frankly, quite sad that we are shuttled between holidays with so much haste. We aren’t given the courtesy of enjoying the moment before we are hurried on to the next big holiday buying event.

That I am inundated with next year’s holiday fare before this year’s Christmas tree ornaments and holiday decor are neatly store away – well, that’s my job. I understand that Christmas 2013 starts before Christmas 2012 is even crossed off the calendar. Retailers, designers and those of us in the home design publishing industry already have in hand 2013 (and yes, even 2014) home holiday decorating and color trend forecasts. It’s so wonderful to have that information available to us, and even more exciting when we attend trade shows in the first few months of the year. True, I’m giddy with child-like excitement as I walk the creatively designed and crafted winter wonderlands of various shows months before the name Kris Kringle is even uttered.

Unfortunately in our desire to bring to you the latest and greatest holiday design stories and merchandise we sometimes lose sight of the true significance of the holiday season. I’m guilty of this, but this year something happened. I took a step back, and watched and listened to those closest to me. The sense of loss in my nephew’s eyes when presented with stores placing Easter decor side-by-side with Valentine’s day decorations. The sad tone of my friend’s voice when she shared with me that it was only July but holiday decorating magazines where beginning to appear – in her opinion it seemed so much earlier than in years past. It’s all moving too fast. It’s time to slow down and enjoy the season we are presently in surrounded by friends and family. The seasonal decorations and entertaining aspects can be handled a few weeks out. There’s no need to weigh yourself down with guilt or pressure to have every little detail of Thanksgiving or Christmas or New Year’s Eve planned before the little costumed ghouls show up at your door gleefully shrieking “Trick or Treat”.

Don’t feel obliged to acquiesce to our frenetic desire to hurriedly carry you from holiday to holiday. Just because stores are decked out in Christmas decorations in October, design divas (yes, even yours truly) are beckoning you to get a jump start on holiday decor and the cooking mavens on the Food Network are tossing up holiday entertaining advice – it doesn’t mean you have to play along. This holiday season you’re in the driver’s seat – savor the season – it’s the holidays on your terms.